WEBVTT
BE
VISIBLE IN SANTA CLARA VALLEY,
SALINAS VALLEY, AND SAN BENITO
COUNTY.
NEW AT 6:00, CRAB FISHERMEN ARE
GETTING READY TO SET THEIR TRAPS
AS COMMERCIAL CRAB FISHING
SEASON OPENS UP AT MIDNIGHT
TONIGHT.
ACTION NEWS REPORTER BRYNNE
WHITTAKER JOINS US LIVE AT THE
MOSS LANDING HARBOR WITH THE
LATEST.
BRYNNE: THE DOMOIC ACID LEVELS
ARE LOWER COMPARED TO LAST YEA
AND THAT WAS THE HOLD UP LAST
YEAR.
SO FISHER MEN HAVE BEEN EXCITED
GETTING READY FOR THE MIDNIGHT
OPENER.
>> VERY HIGH SPIRITS.
WE ARE SUPER JUICED.
WE JUST WANT TO GET OUT THERE,
MAKE AS MANY TRIPS AS YOU CAN.
BRYNNE: FRANK CUNNINGHAM AND HIS
CRAB FISHERMEN CREW SPENT THE
DAY LOADING THEIR BOATS UP WITH
CRAB POTS, COUNTING DOWN THE
HOURS UNTIL THEY GET THE GREEN
LIGHT TO CATCH CRAB.
>> WE ARE HOPING FOR FULL POTS,
20, 15 TO 20 POUNDS OF CRAB EACH
POT.
WE'D BE ECSTATIC.
BRYNNE: AFTER LAST YEAR'S
DISAPPOINTING FOUR-MONTH DELAY
TO THE SEASON BECAUSE OF HIGH
LEVELS OF DOMOIC ACID, FISHERMEN
ARE HOPING TO MAKE UP FOR THE
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS
LOST LAST YEAR.
>> THERE WERE SOME PEOPLE WHO
LOST THEIR BOATS BECAUSE OF IT.
THERE WAS PEOPLE WHO HAD A HARD
TIME HANGING ON TO THEIR HOMES.
WE JUST WANT TO BE ABLE TO GO TO
WORK AND MAKE A LIVING.
BRYNNE: BUT THIS YEAR IS
DIFFERENT SO FAR.
RECREATIONAL CRAB FISHING IS
ALREADY OPEN.
AND SOME SPORT FISHERMEN HAVE
DONE WELL IN CERTAIN LOCATIONS.
>> IT'S BEEN SUPER SPOTTY, HIT
OR MISS.
SOME GUYS ARE GETTING THEM, SOME
AREN'T.
IT JUST DEPENDS ON THE AREA.
BRYNNE: WEATHER IS ALSO A KEY
FACTOR, ACCORDING TO CRAB
FISHERMEN WE SPOKE WITH.
>> SUPER BIG SWELLS, THE CRAB
WON'T MOVE AS MUCH.
SO THEY WILL HUNKER DOWN.
IT'S A LOT HARDER FOR US TO GO
OUT THERE AND CATCH THEM BECAUSE
IT'S HARDER ON THE EQUIPMENT.
BRYNNE: AND WITH THANKSGIVING A
LITTLE MORE THAN A WEEK AWAY,
FISHERMEN ARE HOPING FOR A BIG
CATCH TO START THEIR HOLIDAY
SEASON OFF RIGHT.
>> HOPING FOR GOOD WEATHER AND
GET OUT THERE AND GET SOME CRAB.
BRYNNE MANY OF THEM ARE STILL
OUT HERE PREPARING.
THEY ARE PLANNING TO LEAVE AT
MIDNIGHT TONIGHT.
TOMORROW MORNING AROUND 5:00,
THEY WILL KNOW MORE ABOUT HOW
MUCH THEY CATCH.
ERIN: LOC CRAB IN TIME FOR
THANKSGIVING.
THANK YOU.
TODAY, THE CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL
DIVERSITY OUT OF OAKLAND URGED
FISHERMEN TO MAKE GEAR
MODIFICATIONS TO HELP REDUCE THE
RISK OF WHALE ENTANGLEMENTS.
MODIFICATIONS INCLUDE ADJUSTING
THE LENGTH OF TRAP LINES AND
LIMITING THE AMOUNT OF LINE FROM
THE MAIN BUOY TO THE TRAILER
BUOY.

Crab fishermen in Moss Landing spent Monday loading up their boats with crab pots, preparing for the commercial crab season opener.
"Starting tonight at midnight, it's game time," Moss Landing crab fisherman Frank Cunningham said.
California Fish and Wildlife is set to open the commercial Dungeness crab fishing season Tuesday. After last year's disappointing four-month delay due to high levels of demoic acid in the water, fishermen are hoping to make up for the revenue lost last year.
"There were some people who lost their boats because of it. There was people who had a hard time holding onto their homes," Bay Fresh Seafoods owner Roger Whitney said. "We just want to be able to go to work and make a living."
California Fish and Wildlife said the levels of demoic acid are lower than last year. The recreational crab fishing season has already opened and some said they were able to catch crab in certain locations.
"Its been super spotty, hit or miss. Some guys are getting them and some aren't. It just depends on the area," Cunningham said.
Weather is also a key factor in whether or not the crab fishermen can catch a large number of crab.
"In super big swells, the crab won't move as much, so they'll hunker down, and it's a lot harder for us to go out there and catch them because its harder on the equipment," Cunningham said.
As Thanksgiving approaches, crab fishermen out of Moss Landing are hoping for a big catch to start the holidays off right.
"Hoping for good weather and get out there and get some crab," Cunningham said.

MOSS LANDING, Calif. —

Crab fishermen in Moss Landing spent Monday loading up their boats with crab pots, preparing for the commercial crab season opener.

California Fish and Wildlife is set to open the commercial Dungeness crab fishing season Tuesday. After last year's disappointing four-month delay due to high levels of demoic acid in the water, fishermen are hoping to make up for the revenue lost last year.

"There were some people who lost their boats because of it. There was people who had a hard time holding onto their homes," Bay Fresh Seafoods owner Roger Whitney said. "We just want to be able to go to work and make a living."

California Fish and Wildlife said the levels of demoic acid are lower than last year. The recreational crab fishing season has already opened and some said they were able to catch crab in certain locations.

"Its been super spotty, hit or miss. Some guys are getting them and some aren't. It just depends on the area," Cunningham said.

Weather is also a key factor in whether or not the crab fishermen can catch a large number of crab.

"In super big swells, the crab won't move as much, so they'll hunker down, and it's a lot harder for us to go out there and catch them because its harder on the equipment," Cunningham said.

As Thanksgiving approaches, crab fishermen out of Moss Landing are hoping for a big catch to start the holidays off right.

"Hoping for good weather and get out there and get some crab," Cunningham said.